anfrind:Cthulhu_is_my_homeboy: So how long until DeBeers begins construction of a Death Star to enforce artificial scarcity on the diamond market?

Won't happen, because it would take several times the GDP of the entire planet to build a Death Star. But if DeBeers wants to bankrupt themselves in an effort to build one, they can be my guest.

I think my favourite De Beers story is how some people brought some synthetic diamonds to Antwerp for evaluation, and the world's leading diamond experts couldn't tell the difference. (Chemically and physically, they are of course identical.) De Beers wet themselves rushing a diamond 'fingerprint' reading machine to market. (The absurdly named DiamondView tester) Heaven forfend the public learns that mined diamonds and synthetic ones are the same damn thing.

Could you imagine paying dozens of times more for halite (rock salt) than cultured salt crystal, only because it's "real," ostensibly 'rare,' and therefore worth a great deal more? Could you imagine that what you use to clear your walk in wintertime could be worth as much as a car, only because someone insisted it does?

Sylvia_Bandersnatch:anfrind: Cthulhu_is_my_homeboy: So how long until DeBeers begins construction of a Death Star to enforce artificial scarcity on the diamond market?

Won't happen, because it would take several times the GDP of the entire planet to build a Death Star. But if DeBeers wants to bankrupt themselves in an effort to build one, they can be my guest.

I think my favourite De Beers story is how some people brought some synthetic diamonds to Antwerp for evaluation, and the world's leading diamond experts couldn't tell the difference. (Chemically and physically, they are of course identical.) De Beers wet themselves rushing a diamond 'fingerprint' reading machine to market. (The absurdly named DiamondView tester) Heaven forfend the public learns that mined diamonds and synthetic ones are the same damn thing.

Could you imagine paying dozens of times more for halite (rock salt) than cultured salt crystal, only because it's "real," ostensibly 'rare,' and therefore worth a great deal more? Could you imagine that what you use to clear your walk in wintertime could be worth as much as a car, only because someone insisted it does?

Welcome to the world. Much of the world economy runs on artificial scarcity.

Can't they just call "dibs"? As in "a planet has recently been discovered that is composed of one-third diamo*********DDDDDIIIIIIIBBBBBBBBSSSSSSSSSSSS! 111111111111

"We're DeBeers. We called dibs. We shall hold all the diamonds and sell them to you at a time and price determined by us. Now build us an interstellar ship so we can go and pick up our diamonds. By the way, space diamonds are higher quality so they're going to cost you."

RedVentrue:Sylvia_Bandersnatch: anfrind: Cthulhu_is_my_homeboy: So how long until DeBeers begins construction of a Death Star to enforce artificial scarcity on the diamond market?

Won't happen, because it would take several times the GDP of the entire planet to build a Death Star. But if DeBeers wants to bankrupt themselves in an effort to build one, they can be my guest.

I think my favourite De Beers story is how some people brought some synthetic diamonds to Antwerp for evaluation, and the world's leading diamond experts couldn't tell the difference. (Chemically and physically, they are of course identical.) De Beers wet themselves rushing a diamond 'fingerprint' reading machine to market. (The absurdly named DiamondView tester) Heaven forfend the public learns that mined diamonds and synthetic ones are the same damn thing.

Could you imagine paying dozens of times more for halite (rock salt) than cultured salt crystal, only because it's "real," ostensibly 'rare,' and therefore worth a great deal more? Could you imagine that what you use to clear your walk in wintertime could be worth as much as a car, only because someone insisted it does?

Welcome to the world. Much of the world economy runs on artificial scarcity.

On the plus side, when real scarcity sets in things will only seem much worse, rather than desperately worse. Pratice will help.

/We should be thanking them for their foresight and intuition.//We should be paying these genius's, these Greater People for their benevolence!